Guildford, Surrey (UK) - You always knew when and where the USA was playing during the Women's Rugby World Cup - just follow the boisterous rumble of the Eagle fans. Today, you didn't need to see the USA's 23-20 win over Canada for 5th place to know that the Eagles won; you *heard* that they won.

But it wasn't smooth sailing from the beginning; in fact, the first 10 minutes belonged to Canada. The Eagles were attacking from its half for the first couple of minutes, running into a solid defensive line before losing the ball in the breakdown. A penalty in front of the posts allowed Canada flyhalf Anna Schnell to put her side up 3-0.

Before eight minutes had passed, Canada was up 10-0. From midfield, flanker Barbara Mervin quickly shipped the ball to wing Maria Gallo, who hit the fiesty Ashley Patzer inserting from fullback. Ashley English nabbed her opposite from behind as the Eagles scrambled to get back on defense. The Canadians put together a few quick phases to keep the Americans retreating before going wide to wing Heather Moyse, who downed the try easily. Schnell converted.

Neither side were flawless, and the Eagles' long lineouts weren't working. After a few failed attempts, the USA stuck with the front jumper and all was well. Canada had issues with the long ball as well, and a miscue in their own half saw the ball end right in flanker Kristin Zdanzcewicz's hands. She got the ball moving forward. Canada turned the ball over, but flyhalf Christy Ringgenberg managed to block Schnell's clearing kick at the 22 meter. The Eagles got Canada moving backward and the pressure forced a penalty just left of the post, which Ringgenberg nailed, 10-3.

Ringgenberg added her second penalty about five minutes later. From a USA lineout, scrumhalf Claudia Braymer sent a pretty kick to Canada's 40 meter. Although the Canadians came down with the ball cleanly, a massive knockon in the subsequent punch put the ball in flanker Beckett Royce's hands. She tore up the field, and Mel Denham, Jamie Burke and Farrah Douglas continued the attack around the breakdown. Canada succumbed to the pressure again, and Ringgenberg made good at the 22-minute mark, 10-6.

Three minutes later, Canada suffered a huge blow. A Lynelle Kugler hit took out wing Heather Moyse and the team's leading try scorer is done for the day. Then the USA got their first lead of the day. Deep in their territory, Schnell cleared to Nathalie Marchino, who was waiting near the 50 meter. She shook a couple of defenders before handing off to outside center Amy Daniels, then wing Vanesha McGee on the far side of the pitch. McGee, who is so incredibly strong and determined, fended a couple of defenders along the touch line before passing to English, who took care of Patzer and the final 15 meters herself, 11-10.

But in a tribute to their never-say-die spirit, Canada took the lead into the half, with lock Megan Gibbs taking advantage of a massively sliding defense from 10 meters out. Quick, tight phases had the USA scrambling toward the sideline, Gibbs read the overcommitment and ran in the try untouched. Schnell converted for the 17-11 lead.

It was a discouraging end to a half that had been building in the USA's favor, and it was imperative that the Eagles score first after the break. The USA didn't have to wait long for that score. Inside two minutes, the Eagles stole possession in the breakdown along the sideline. After a few tight phases, the ball shipped out to Ringgenberg, who cut across the field and hit Kugler crashing through the line. She fought through Patzer and dotted down a Ringgenberg-converted try, 18-17.

Royce nearly poached a ball in their half, but the flanker was called for not realeasing in the tackle. Canada's Mandy Marchak, who wasn't the penetrating force that she normally is, kicked the penalty out the back and helped stifle one of few attacking opportunities inside the 22 meter. While both sides had their dropped balls and off-sides penalties, Canada's missteps prevented any sustainable attack.

The USA took advantage of an off-sides penalty in its half and started to march down field, getting great work from its forwards in tight as well as nice inserts in the back line. Lisa Butts took a nice angle off Ringgenberg to get the USA into Canadian territory. The ball worked right and Zdanczewicz made a nice cut back inside before hitting McGee, who once again, slipped off the defense for an incredible 30 meters in the try zone, 23-17. In her wake, two Canadian defenders remained on all fours, catching their breath.

There the match stood for the next 25 minutes. The Eagles were incredibly lucky when a Patzer try is recalled to an earlier penalty, but the fullback showed that she can attack wide and slip defense as well. She was circling back toward the center of the try zone when the referee blew his whistle. Had the Canadians kept it clean, that converted try could have been the difference. Instead, the Canadians got a penalty on 34 minutes for offsides in the ruck, 23-20.

The game went into nearly five minutes of injury time, a tribute to how fiercely physical the match was. But with the exception of the first 10 minutes, the Eagles' energy and verve out-performed their North American rivals. Canada fought until the end, but the USA outlasted the panicked assault for the win.

The whistle blew and Canadians fell to their knees in tears, while Eagles lept into the air. They were even joined by a bikini-clad gentleman, streaking across the field with his American flag. Such a tough match for 5th place, but to be expected whenever these two teams meet.

USA 23
Tries: English, Kugler, McGee
Penalties: Ringgenberg 2
Conversions: Ringgenberg

Canada 20
Tries: Moyse, Gibbs
Penalties: Schnell 2
Conversions: Schnell 2

USA Lineup
1  FARRAH DOUGLAS – AT LARGE  (Replaced by Vivolo, 68’)
2  LISA BUTTS – BERKELEY ALL-BLUES (Replaced by Wallace, 54’)
3  JAMIE BURKE – BEANTOWN
4  BLAIRE GROEFSEMA - BERKELEY ALL-BLUES
5  SHARON BLANEY - BEANTOWN
6  KRISTIN ZDANCZEWICZ – MINNESOTA VALKYRIES
7  BECKETT ROYCE – ORSU (Replaced by Knight, 45’)
8  MELANIE DENHAM - BEANTOWN

9  CLAUDIA BRAYMER - ALBANY
10 CHRISTY RINGGENBERG – MINNESOTA VALKYRIES
11 NATHALIE MARCHINO – BERKELEY ALL-BLUES (Replaced by Folayan, 64’)
12 LYNELLE KUGLER – TWIN CITIES AMAZONS
13 AMY DANIELS - BEANTOWN
14 VANESHA MCGEE – NEW YORK
15 ASHLEY ENGLISH – BERKELEY ALL-BLUES (Captain)

16 MAURIN WALLACE – BEANTOWN (Replaced Lisa Butts, 54’)
17 LARA VIVOLO – NEW YORK (Replaced Douglas, 68’)
18 STACEY BRIDGES – AT LARGE
19 PHAIDRA KNIGHT – NEW YORK (Replaced Royce, 45’)
20 KIM MAGRINI - KEYSTONE
21 MELISSA KANUK – MINNESOTA VALKYRIES
22 VICTORIA FOLAYAN – BERKELEY ALL-BLUES (Replaced Marchino, 64’)

Canada Lineup
1  Leslie Cripps (C) (Replaced by Stavrou, 45’) (Stavrou replaced by K. Donaldson, 62’) 
2  Lesley McKenzie
3  Corinne Jacobsen (Replaced by M. Donaldson, 56’) 
4  Megan Gibbs
5  Paige Knauf
6  Barbara Mervin
7  Gill Florence  (Replaced by Jaques, 55’)
8  Kelly Russell

9  Julia Sugawara (Replaced by Stroughton 40’)
10  Anna Schnell
11  Maria Gallo (Replaced by Hilditch, 50’)
12  Sarah Ulmer
13  Mandy Marchak
14  Heather Moyse (Replaced by Phillips, 23’)
15  Ashley Patzer